Abstract:An antibacterial and antioxidant gelatin-dextran composite film was prepared using cinnamaldehyde and α-tocopherol as antibacterial and antioxidant agents to inhibit lipid oxidation and microbial production and prolong the shelf life of scallops. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that gelatin and dextran were well compatible，and the addition of active fillers resulted in rough，uneven，and porous microstructures.X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the active fillers enhanced the crystallinity and hydrophobicity of the composite films.The thickness，opacity，and antioxidant and antibacterial capacity of the composite films increased with the increase of active filler concentration，while the water vapor permeability，tensile strength，and elongation at break decreased.The films containing 1.5% of active fillers improved the chemical and microbial stability of refrigerated scallop adductor muscles and extended their shelf life by 6 d compared with the unpackaged and control composite films. Therefore，gelatin-dextran composite film with dual-functional active fillers could be used as an effective packaging material to control the quality of aquatic food products during cold storage.